Killing of Egyptian peacekeeper in Mali

An
improvised roadside mine which exploded hitting a UN
peacekeeping convoy in Mali, killing one ‘blue helmet’
from Egypt, and wounding four others, may constitute a war
crime, the UN Chief said on Saturday, as senior UN officials
condemned the blast.
Secretary-General António
Guterres issued a statement on Saturday night in New
York, giving details of the deadly bombing, which took place
against a convoy of vehicles in central Mali, close to the
border with Burkina Faso, belonging to the UN Mission, MINUSMA. The vehicles were en route
between Douentza and Boni, in the Mopti region.

“MINUSMA peacekeepers responded, killing an assailant
and apprehending eight others,” said the UN chief, in the
message issued by his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric. “The
Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the
family of the victim and to the Government of Egypt. He
wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.”

Attacks
“targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war
crimes under international law”, the statement continued,
and Mr. Guterres called on the Malian authorities to take
“swift action to identify the perpetrators of this attack
and bring them to justice.”

On Twitter, UN peacekeeping
chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, also issued his heartfelt
condolences to the family of the fallen soldier noting that
he and his colleagues from Egypt were “performing the
critical task of protecting convoys”.

MINUSMA’s
mandate from the Security Council began after extremist
militias seized control of northern Mali in 2012, which
following a failed coup, were repulsed by French military
action the following year. A UN-backed peace agreement in
2015 signed between the Government and various armed groups,
failed to stabilize the febrile central and northern regions
of the northwest African country.

Earlier this week,
according to news reports, the Prime Minister resigned
together with his cabinet in the capital Bamako, in the face
of widespread criticism from across the political spectrum,
over the failure to make inroads against the continuing
violence to the north.

Since 2013 when MINUSMA deployed,
more than 190 peacekeepers have died in Mali, including
close to 120 killed during hostilities.

The
Secretary-General reaffirmed that the latest casualties
“will not diminish the resolve of the United Nations to
continue supporting the people and the Government of Mali in
their quest for peace and stability.”

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